Controller for pneumatic motors.



ET. TURNBY. CONTROLLER FOR PNEUMATIC MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1908.

1,016,658. Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0 fl-5&8 47 15 v 46 w v V v ZZ IDIIII/IIIAW,

IIII/III/I/I/I/I/A 60 4 I g I 35 24 g 57 63 8 H @5344 R A A A I g g 25 fi C E. T. TURNEY. CONTROLLER FOR PNEUMATIC MOTORS. APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 21, 1908. 1,01 53 Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA I'LANUGMAMI C(n vAslusa'roN. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE T. TURNEY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ABTISTA PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, OF MILAN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CONTROLLER FOB PNEUMATIC MOTORS.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EUGENE T. TURNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controllers for Pneumatic Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to playing attachments for musical instruments wherein there is employed a plurality of pneumatics for operating the piano actions and a pneumatic motor for shifting the music sheet or record, the pneumatics and the motor being operated by exhausting the air therefrom, and one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide improved means under the control of the operator for regulating the exhaust or suction at will to vary the speed of the motor.

A further object is to provide improved means for equalizing the exhaust to automatically control the motor and for causing the motor to run at a uniform speed under normal conditions regardless of the degree of suction exerted by the exhaust mecha nism to uniformly feed the record.

A. further object is to provide an improved controller for pneumatic motors and the like, including a collapsible pneumatic having an inlet and an outlet, and in which the movable member of the pneumatic will cooperate directly with the outlet to form a closure therefor for varying the size of the opening.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character which will be simple, durable, and cheap in construction, and effective, efficient and automatic in action.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, illus rating an embodiment of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section and with parts removed, of an improved device of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 21, 1908.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Serial No. 454,100.

perspective view of the block for forming the valve seat which surrounds the outlet opening of the pneumatic. Fig. 1 is a detail. top plan view of Fig. 1. Fig.5 is a detail elevation, showing the manner of connecting this improved mechanism with a pneumatic motor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and in the present exemplification of the invention, the numeral 10 designates generally a chamber, which may be of any desired size, and arranged within the chamber is a partition or wall 11 for dividing the chamber into two compartments, one of which is preferably located in advance of the other, and said wall or partition is pro vided with an aperture 12 to form a communication between the two compartments.

One of the compartments 13 is provided with an inlet aperture or opening 1 1, and the other compartment 15 is provided with an outletaperture or opening 16, preferably opening through the bottom thereof. The chamber 10 is preferably provided with an offset portion 17, which latter is provided with a passage 18 having communication with the inlet aperture 14: to the compartment 13, and a tubular member 19 has communication with the passage 18. Connected to this tubular member 19 is a tubular member 20, which has communication with the exhaust chamber 21 of the pneumatic motor designated generally by the reference numeral 22. This controlling mechanism comprising the chamber 10 and the offset portion 18 may be supported within the casing of the instrument in any desired or suitable manner, but is preferably adapted to be supported by the air chest or trunk 23, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The offset port-ion 17 is adapted to extend beyond the end of the trunk or chest 23 and is provided with a second passage 24 with which a tubular member 25 has communication, and to this tubular member 25 is con nected one extremity of a tubular member 26, which latter has communication with a suitable suction creating device or exhaust mechanism, not necessary to illustrate.

Supported in any suitable manner, preferably by the base of the chamber 10, is a pneumatic, designated generally by the reference numeral 27, one member 28 of the pneumatic being secured to the base of the chamber 10, and'is provided with an aperture 29, which aperture has communication with the outlet 16 of the chamber 15. The smaller'end of the pneumatic 27 preferably projects beyond one wall of the compartment 15, as at 30, and said projecting portion 'is provided with an aperture 31 which forms an outlet for the pneumatic 27. Supported by the fixed member 28 of the pneumatic is a housing 33,

which is provided with a passage 34 extending through the bottom thereof and communicatingwith the outlet opening 31 of the pneumatic'27. The other end of the passage 34 opens through one wall of the housing and has communication withrthe passage 24 through the medium of a passage 35, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings. Secured to the movable member 36 of the pneumatic 27 is an arm or'projection' 37, and connected to the extremity of said arm by one end is a suitable elastic member 38, such as a coil spring or the like. To the other extremity of the elastic member is connected an adjusting device 39 in the form of abolt which passes through a suitable support 40, and an-adjusting nut or collar 41 is adapted to engage the bolt 39 on the opposite side of the bracket 40through the medium of which the tension of the elastic member 38 may be adjusted.

Arranged within the pneumatic 27 is a block 42, which is provided with an inclined.

face 43 and an aperture 44 passing therethrough, which aperture preferably extends longitudinally of the block 42 and tapers from one extremity toward the other. This block 42 is secured to the fixed member 28 of the pneumatic 27, so that the aperture 44 therein will aline with the outlet opening 31 of the pneumatic and is secured adjacent the smaller end of the pneumatic so that the inclined face 43 of the'blockwill be disposed toward the movable member 26 of the pneumatic and when secured in position, the block 42 will form a stop or valve seat for themovable member 36 of the pneumatic, surroundingthe outlet opening 31, so that when the pneumatic 27 is collapsed to cause the movable member 36 thereof to move toward thefixed member, said movable mem-- ,36 rests flat against the inclined face 43 of the block 42, the movable member will form a complete closure for the outlet opening 31. 'Arrangedwithin one of, the compartments of the chamber 10 is a valve 45, which is preferably in the form of a conical plug and is adapted-to be inserted intothe aperture orpassage 12, whereby theadjust'ment of the conical plug or valve 45 into or out vof the passage 12 will vary the size of the passage.

Any suitable means may be provided for adjusting the valve 45. A suitable and eflicient means for accomplishing this purpose comprises a valve stem 46, one extremity of which is secured to the valve and passes through one of the walls of the compartment within which the valve is located. The other end of the stem-46 is adapted to pass through a suitable guide 47 secured to the chamber 10. A suitable clamp 48 may be secured to the stem 46. This clamp preferably projects beyond the front face of the chamber 10 and is provided with a reduced extremity 49, which is adapted to enter a suitable slot 50 in an operating lever 51, which is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 52 to any suitable support such as the face of a wind trunk or channel 23. One extremity of the lever 51 on one side of its pivot is connected in any suitable manner to a suitable operating slide 53, which is under the control of the operator and is connected to the lever 51 through the medium ;of a suitable connection 54. The other extremity of the lever 51 preferably projects for some distance beyond the point at which the reduced extremity of the clamp 48 engages the same, and secured to said extremity is an arm 55 which is connected to any suitable indicating mechanism whereby the adjustment of the slide 53, the lever 51, and

:consequently the valve 45 may be ascertained. With this improved construction it will be apparent that when a suction is created in the tubular member 25, and with .the valve 45 in such a position as to permit a communication between the compartments 13 and 15, air will be exhausted from the pneumatic 27 through the valve seat 44 and outlet opening 31 and at the same time the .air will be exhausted from the exhaust chamber 21 of the motor 22 through the medium of the tubular member 20, which exhaust will operate the motor in the ordinaryand well 'knownmanner. By the manipulation of the valve 45 the speed of the motor may be controlled, and by the automatic adjustment of the movable mem-' ber 36 under the influence of the suction created by the suction device, the aperture 44 in the block 42 will be varied and thereby automatically control the motor and cause the same to run at a uniform rate of speed,

regardless of the amount of suction created by the exhaust mechanism. When it is desired to vary the speed of the motor, all that ported in any desired or suitable manner, preferably by meansof the extension 17 of the chamber 10. This pneumatic 56 has communication with the wind trunk or channel 23 in any suitable manner, preferably through the medium of a tubular member 57, which extends into the pneumatic 56, and a tubular member 58, one extremity of which is connected to the tubular member 57 and the other extremity to a suitable chamber 59, which latter has communication with the wind trunk or channel 23.

The extension 17 of the chamber 10. is provided with a passage 60, which forms a communication between the passages 18' and 24, and a suitable valve 61 is provided for controlling the passage, whereby communication between the passages 18 and 24: may beestablished or cut off. This valve 61 may be automatically operated in any suitable manner, preferably through the medium of the pneumatic 56, which is provided with an extension or shoulder 62 adapted to engage a stem 63 which is secured to the valve 61 so that when the pneumatic 56 is collapsed by means of the air being exhausted therefrom the projection 62 will engage the stem 63 and hold the valve 61 upon its seat to close the passage 60. When the pneumatic 56 is permitted to expand the projection 62 will move away from the valve seat and permit valve 61 and stem 63 to also move away from the seat to open the passage 60 to form a communication between the passage 18 and 24, whereby the suction of the exhaust mechanism will have direct connection with the motor to rapidly operate the motor for re-winding the record.

In order that the invention might be fully understood, the details of the foregoing embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described but l/Vhat I claim as new is 1. A controller for pneumatic motors, comprising a suction chamber having a plurality of compartments, one of which is provided with an inlet and the other with an outlet opening, said compartments having a communicating passage, means for controlling said passage, a pneumatic having an opening communicating with the outlet and a hinged member for controlling the outlet opening, means adjacent the hinge and with which the movable member cooperates to vary the size of the said outlet, from one point to a point directly opposite and means whereby the air may be exhausted from the said pneumatic to actuate the movable member thereof.

2. A controller for pneumatic motors, comprising a suction chamber having a plurality of compartments, one of which is provided with an inlet and the other with an outlet opening, said compartments having a communicating passage, means for controlling the said passage, a pneumatic having an opening communicating with the outlet and a hinged member for controlling the said outlet opening, means adjacent the hinge and with which the movable member cooperates 'to vary the size of the said outlet, from one point to a point directly opposite and means for moving the said member away from the opening, said mem her being adapted to be moved toward the outlet opening against the tension of the last said means by air pressure.

3. A controller for pneumatic motors comprising a suction chamber having a plurality of compartments, one of which is provided with an inlet and the other with an outlet opening, said compartments having a communicating passage, means for controlling said passage, a pneumatic having a fixed and a movable member, said outlet having communication with the pneumatic and said pneumatic having an outlet extending through the fixed member, and means whereby the air may be exhausted from the pneumatic, to adjust the movable member of the pneumatic toward the fixed member to gradually vary the size of the 1 outlet of the pneumatic from one point to a point directly opposite and to cause said member to form a closure for the said outlet.

4. A. controller for pneumatic motors comprising a suction chamber having a plurality of compartments, one of which is provided with an inlet and the other with an outlet opening, said compartments having a communicating passage, means for controlling said passage, apneumatic having a fixed and a movable member, said outlet having communication with the pneumatic and said pneumatic having an outlet extending through the fixed member, means whereby the air may be exhausted from the pneumatic, to adjust the movable member of the pneumatic toward the fixed member to gradually vary the size of the outlet of the pneumatic from one point to a point directly opposite and to cause said member to form a closure for the said outlet, and means for moving the movable member in the opposite direction to open the said outlet.

5. A controller for pneumatic motors comprising a suction chamber having a plurality of compartments, one of which is provided with an inlet and the other with an outlet opening, said compartments having a communicating passage, means for controlling said passage, a pneumatic having a fixed and a movable member, said outlet having communication with the pneumatic and said pneumatic having an outlet opening through the fixed member, a valve seat within the pneumatic and surrounding the outlet opening, ieans whereby said pneumatic may be exhausted to cause the movable member to gradually engage the valve seat in'a direction from one point to a point directly opposite and serve as a closure for the outlet, and means for moving said memher away from the seat to open the outlet.

6. A controller for pneumatic motors comprising a suction chamber having a plurality of compartments, one of which is provided with an inlet and the other with an outlet opening, said compartments having a communicating passage, means for controlling said passage, a pneumatic having a fixed and a movable member, said outlet having communication with the pneumatic and said pneumatic having an outlet opening through the fixed member, a valve seat within the pneumatic and surrounding the outlet opening, means whereby said pneumatic may be exhausted to cause the movable member to engage the valve seat and serve as a closure for the outlet, said valve seat being provided with an inclined surface disposed in a direction toward the movable member, whereby the movable member will gradually vary the size of the said outlet opening in a direction from one point to a point directly opposite, and means for moving said member away from the-seat to open the outlet.

7. A controller for pneumatic, motors comprising a suction chamber having a pluralit of compartments, one of which is provide with an inlet and the other wit-h an outlet opening, said compartments having a communicating passage, means for controlling said passage, a pneumatic having a fixed and a hinged member, said outlet having communication with thepneumatic and said pneumatic having an outlet opening through the fixed member, said outlet including a seat within the pneumatic and lo-' cated adjacent the hinge of the movable member and having an opening tapering in vided with an inlet and theother with an outlet opening, said compartments having a communicatmg passage, means for cont-rol- 1mg said passage, a pneumatic having a V fixed and a hinged member, said outlet ha-vmg eommunlcation with the pneumatic and said pneumatic having an outlet opening through the fixed member, said outlet including a seat within the pneumatic located adjacent the hinge of themovable member" tion away from the pivot of the movable member and being provided with an inclined face disposed toward the said movable member, means whereby said pneumatic may be exhausted to cause the movable memberqto be moved toward and into engagement with the inclined face of the seat to vary the outlet, and means for moving the member away from the seat.

9. A controller for pneumatic motors, including a pneumatic, said pneumatic including a fixed member and a member movable toward and away from the fixed member, and being provided with an inlet and an outlet opening, said outlet opening extending through the said fixed member, means whereby the air may be exhausted from the pneumatic to collapse the same and means cooperating with the said outlet opening and the said movable member whereby the latter will gradually vary the size of the opening from one point to a point directly opposite. a

10. A controller for pneumatic motors including a pneumatic, said pneumatic including a fixed member and a member movable I toward and away from the fixed member and being provided with an inlet and an outlet opemng, said outlet opening extending through the said fixed member, means tending normally to separate the members, means whereby the pneumatic may be exhausted to cause the movable member to move toward the fixed member against the tension of the first said means and means cooperating with the said opening and the movable member whereby the member will automatically vary the size of the opening from. one point to a point directly opposite.

11. A controller for pneumatic motors, i11- eluding a pneumatic, said pneumatic including a fixed member and a member movable toward and away from the fixed member and being provided with an inlet and an outlet opening, said outlet opening extending through the said fixed member and tapering in a direction extending longitudinally thereof, means whereby the air may be exhausted from the pneumatic to collapse the same, and means with which the said movable member cooperates to gradually vary the size of the opening from one point to a point directly opposite.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on'this 14th day of September, A. D. 1908.

EUGENE T. TURNEY. Witnesses:

LEE H. KAUP E, C. A. Liir'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

